appeal would be fatal to the hopes and rights of America; that we should share the fate of the subjugated, and be doomed to wear chains not made lighter by the prospect of shaking them off. He was governed by his dread of greater restraint and more accumulated oppression, while others were actuated by the hope of an entire freedom not only from present but apprehended wrongs.— Such in general was the origin of that difference in character and conduct that constituted the Whig and Tory of our revolution.

Thus relieved not only from the duties but the emoluments of his ministerial office, Mr. Dana had recourse as a matter of necessity for a livelihood, to the cultivation of his small farm. This `he did with his own hands like a peaceful citizen from whom the republic need fear no harm.

Neither the times nor the jealousy with which Mr. Dana was regarded, made it advisable for him to attempt the reinstatement of himself in the ministry. At the solicitation however of a few of his old parishioners, who not being pleased with Mr. Trowbridge had formed a separate society, he officiated as their clergyman a few months in the year 1780-1. The writer recollects often to have seen, in passing, their house of worship. Its external appearance was that of an unfinished barn. During this interregnum of his life, if so it may be called, that is from 1775, the time of his leaving the pulpit, to 1781, the time of his access to the bar, he adventured in trade with his brother Captain William Dana, of Amherst, N.H., but the anxieties and hazards attending a business in which he had no active concern, soon induced him to dissolve the connexion.

We are more the creatures of accident than we generally suppose, or are willing to allow. Now it happened that just before his relinquishment of the pastoral office, he was appointed exec

. utor of the will of John Bulkley, Esq., an Attorney of law in Groton. This brought him in contact with a law library, which for convenience he had removed to his own house. To this occurrence may be traced his future success and distinction in life. In searching these law books, he spent many of his leisure hours, and either discovered or formed his taste for the investigation of legal subjects. One more lucky occurrence only was wanting which should give him some knowledge of office business, in order to fix Mr. Dana a candidate for the bar. For this, he did not long wait and it was probably of his own procuring. Thomas Coleman, Esq., who in 1779 succeeded Mr. Bulkley as an attorney in Groton, had his residence and office in the house of Mr. Dana, and under these favourable circumstances, he acquired some knowledge of the practice of law. Thus did Mr. Dana pick up his qualifications as a lawyer, as he had those of a clergyman, with great ease and little cost. Having determined upon the law as his vocation in life, Amherst presented strong inducements as the place of his future residence. Here was his brother in trade, whose influence and business would be useful to him. His legal education had not been such that he could regularly claim to be admitted as an attorney: but the rules of admission here were less rigidly observed than in Massachusetts. He had occasionally made long visits to Amherst during the year 1780-1, and had availed himself of the law library of Joshua Atherton, Esq., an attorney in that place, as a student in his office. In the fall of 1780, he purchased of Mr. Atherton a small tenement adjoining his homestead on the north, and in the spring of 1781, moved into it with his family. In the fall of the same year, by the friendship of Mr. Atherton, who felt a strong sympathy in misfortunes so like his own, he was admitted to practice in the Court

CONSTITUTION

OF THE

New-Hampshire Historical Society.

1. The object of the New-Hampshire Historical Society shall be to discover, procure, and preserve whatever may relate to the natural, civil, literary, and ecclesiastical history of the United States in general, and of this State in particular.

2. The Society shall consist of resident and honorary members, the former to be persons residing in the State of New-Hampshire; the latter, persons residing elsewhere. The number of resident members shall not exceed fifty; the number of honorary members shall not exceed the number of the resident.

3. The election of members shall be by ballot at the annual meetings. No member shall hereafter be elected by less than six votes; and, in all cases, the votes of two-thirds of the members present shall be necessary to a choice.

4. Each member (honorary members excepted, with whom it shall be optional) shall pay, before the annual meeting next following his election, the sum of five dollars. The Society may assess taxes at the annual meetings, on each resident member, not exceeding three dollars in one year. Any person neglecting to pay the aforesaid sum of five dollars, or any tax, for the term of two years, shall cease to be a member.

Constitution of the Historical Society.

5

5. The annual meeting of the Society shall be holden at Concord, on the second Wednesday in June. Other meetings may be held at such times and places as the Society may from time to time direct. It shall be the duty of the President, and in his absence, of one of the Vice-Presidents, upon the application of three members, to call a special meeting of the Society, of which notice shall be given in a newspaper printed in Concord, and another printed in Portsmouth, at least fifteen days before the meeting.

6. The officers of the Society, to be elected at the annual meeting and by ballot, shall be-a President, two Vice-Presidents, a Treasurer, a Recording Secretary, a Corresponding Secretary, and a Librarian, who shall hold their offices for the term of one year, and until others are elected in their places; provided, that the first election of officers under this Constitution shall be made at such time and place as the Society may direct.

7. The Constitution may be amended at any annual meeting, as the Society shall deem proper, by the votes of two-thirds of the members present; provided, notice of the proposed amendment shall be given in writing, and entered on the journal at the preceding annual meeting.

A true copy of the Constitution of the Historical Society, adopted June 13, 1823.

Attest

JOHN KELLY, Rec. Sec'ry.

(6)

Resident Members of the Society.

Those with * prefixed have died; those with † have resigned, or removed from

(1) Died at Exeter, while attending his duties as Clerk of the Superior Court, 5 Aug. 1829, at the age of 73. See page 110 of this volume.

(2) Died in the ministry, at Durham, 9 Feb. 1828, aged 39. See page 207 of this volume.

(3) Died in the city of New-York, 15 April, 1827, aged 33. See Memoir of him in Vol. ii. 290-300.

(4) Died at Portsmouth, 3 June, 1826, aged 36. See Memoir, Vol. ii. 229-235. Also, the Memoir in his Remains, xi-xl.